Battle Hall Davies is sure of some things

She''s going to Reed this fall; she loves girls; and her older brother, Nick, outshines her. He ran away four and a half years ago; now he''s tracked her down, and she''s spending the summer at Forest House, where he lives in Portland. It is a summer of surprises.

Summer at Forest House

Battle is swept into Forest House''s community Shakespeare production, their all-night card games, and the arms of her new housemate, Meryl. As the weeks pass, Battle realizes that Nick isn''t who she thought he was - and she isn''t who she thought she was, either.